New ATV4: both Netflix and Plex crashing daily; other apps are fine

[Idgit]

I just got a new Apple TV 4 (refurbished). It's connected via ethernet to my Airport Extreme and it has the latest version of tvOS. However, both Netflix and Plex are unreliable and crash-prone, and the unknown, underlying cause of the crashes affects both apps at the same time.

When the problem occurs, I'll launch Netflix and it'll show just a black screen and the Netflix logo in the lower right hand corner. Nothing will happen for about 30 seconds or so and then it'll crash to the home screen.

With Plex, the app becomes unresponsive to remote control input. It's impossible to start or pause a video or to even navigate the Plex UI. However, if I hit the Home button twice quickly, it'll take me back to the home screen.

Nothing resolves the problem except a reboot of the ATV4.

When Plex acts up, Netflix also stops working. The problem affects both apps at the same time. However, none of the other apps on the ATV (e.g., Crackle, home sharing, Vevo, Sportsnet, etc) have any problems. They all continue to stream from the internet or my iTunes server without difficulty. It's only Netflix and Plex that stop working.

Netflix and PlexConnect on my ATV2 continue to work fine, so it doesn't appear to be a server issue or a route/modem issue. Perhaps this refurbished ATV4 is defective.

Anyone else experiencing this or have any troubleshooting suggestions?

 

[benjitek]

Both working Plex and Netflix are crash-free on my ATV4...

Might be a good idea to wipe yours, set it up as new and start over.

 

[2010mini]

You haven't stated if your Apple TV is on the latest tvOS version. If it is not, update it. Have you tried deleting the apps and reinstalling them?

Once when I had trouble with Netflix, they told me to unplug my Apple TV, wait a few seconds and plug it back in. To my surprise it actually did the trick.

 

[Idgit]

You haven't stated if your Apple TV is on the latest tvOS version. If it is not, update it. Have you tried deleting the apps and reinstalling them?

Once when I had trouble with Netflix, they told me to unplug my Apple TV, wait a few seconds and plug it back in. To my surprise it actually did the trick.

Yes, it has the latest tvOS (mentioned in the second sentence of my original post). I'll try deleting and reinstalling the apps. And if that doesn't work, I'll try the unplugging/plugging it back in. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[s15119]

I've never had an app crash with my ATV 4. I purchased the day it came out and use several hours daily. If wiping doesn't work, I'd get it to an Apple store.

 

[IndianBird]

Both working Plex and Netflix are crash-free on my ATV4...

Might be a good idea to wipe yours, set it up as new and start over.

Congrats. But that's a terrible first suggestion for someone who is experiencing an issue.

 

[Idgit]

It happened again. This time with the Reddit video app. The app didn't crash but it become unresponsive to navigation commands on the Siri remote and the remote app. Strangely, it responds to the Home button but not the Menu button or navigational swipes.

I contacted Apple Support. First they told me to delete and reinstall the apps. If that doesn't work, reset the ATV. And if that doesn't work, do a full iTunes restore of the ATV4. If, after all that, the ATV still doesn't work correctly, they'll replace it.

 

[IndianBird]

It happened again. This time with the Reddit video app. The app didn't crash but it become unresponsive to navigation commands on the Siri remote and the remote app. Strangely, it responds to the Home button but not the Menu button or navigational swipes.

I contacted Apple Support. First they told me to delete and reinstall the apps. If that doesn't work, reset the ATV. And if that doesn't work, do a full iTunes restore of the ATV4. If, after all that, the ATV still doesn't work correctly, they'll replace it.

Sounds fair enough.

 

[2010mini]

It happened again. This time with the Reddit video app. The app didn't crash but it become unresponsive to navigation commands on the Siri remote and the remote app. Strangely, it responds to the Home button but not the Menu button or navigational swipes.

I contacted Apple Support. First they told me to delete and reinstall the apps. If that doesn't work, reset the ATV. And if that doesn't work, do a full iTunes restore of the ATV4. If, after all that, the ATV still doesn't work correctly, they'll replace it.

I had to do this once in my ATV 3. It got stuck in the middle of an OS upgrade and basically became a paper weight. Did a full wipe and set it up as new. Sometime strange things just happen. Try returning it to factory and set it up as new.

BTW... Do you have any special security set up on your network? Firewall, VPN...etc?

 

[Idgit]

BTW... Do you have any special security set up on your network? Firewall, VPN...etc?

Just an Airport Extreme with the usual settings.

 

[2010mini]

Just an Airport Extreme with the usual settings.

Ok.

I think you should just return it to factory and use your iPhone to set it up as new. If that doesn't work, take it to an Apple Store and have it replaced.

 

[benjitek]

Congrats. But that's a terrible first suggestion for someone who is experiencing an issue.

Not really -- might not be a great idea if it were a laptop or desktop, but from the sound of it the OP could've completely reset it during the amount of time spent troubleshooting. Just because it's not you're first choice doesn't make it 'terrible'. ATV4's don't take long to set up, especially using the Siri Remote app with the included keyboard

 

[IndianBird]

Not really -- might not be a great idea if it were a laptop or desktop, but from the sound of it the OP could've completely reset it during the amount of time spent troubleshooting. Just because it's not you're first choice doesn't make it 'terrible'. ATV4's don't take long to set up, especially using the Siri Remote app with the included keyboard

So you don't like it when people respond to your suggestions like an ass?

 

[benjitek]

So you don't like it when people respond to your suggestions like an ass?

Personally, I don't really care -- it's a textual message in a tech forum, there are far worse things than that

 

[Vermifuge]

Congrats. But that's a terrible first suggestion for someone who is experiencing an issue.

It is sound advice. There is no personal data to be lost and the time spent restoring the appleTv would have been far less than trouble shooting every possible option. It's what apple would most likely have the user do. The next step would be to take it back, it's likely defective.

 

[IndianBird]

It is sound advice. There is no personal data to be lost and the time spent restoring the appleTv would have been far less than trouble shooting every possible option. It's what apple would most likely have the user do. The next step would be to take it back, it's likely defective.

You can wipe an ATV faster than deleting and reinstalling an app first?

You must be superhuman.

 

[Vermifuge]

You can wipe an ATV faster than deleting and reinstalling an app first?
You must be superhuman.

As of Idgit's last post 26 hours had elapsed since the first post and 72 hours as of today. Benjtek had replied to OP within 30 min. Had Idgit followed Benjtek's advice the problem would have already been resolved by either fixing the problem and allowing the followup post to determine the unit is likely defective.

Move along.

 

[Idgit]

It is sound advice. There is no personal data to be lost and the time spent restoring the appleTv would have been far less than trouble shooting every possible option. It's what apple would most likely have the user do. The next step would be to take it back, it's likely defective.

Yeah, this ATV4 is defective. I did a reset and the weird problems returned within a hour of use. Even a reboot doesn't fix the issues all the time. Also, did a restore. Currently, Plex and Netflix are working, but both movies (iTunes) and tv shows (iTunes) are blank. Nothing is loading from Apples servers.

This is a refurbished ATV4, but Apple clearly didn't test it fully before certifying it.

 

[JeffPerrin]

Yeah, this ATV4 is defective. I did a reset and the weird problems returned within a hour of use. Even a reboot doesn't fix the issues all the time. Also, did a restore. Currently, Plex and Netflix are working, but both movies (iTunes) and tv shows (iTunes) are blank. Nothing is loading from Apples servers.

I've also been having a LOT of trouble with Netflix lately on an ATV4 that has otherwise pretty solid for the past 11 months. I think it's more an issue with the current version of tvOS. Or it could be something with Apple's back-end servers for ATV4 devices. Either way, similar issues have happened before and they cleared it up. I'd hold out for the tvOS 10 update, which should be out in a week or two?

In the meantime, try restarting the ATV via Settings/System/Restart. ("restart", NOT "reset") Sadly though, I find I've been needing to do this at least a couple times a day lately....

 

[2010mini]

Yeah, this ATV4 is defective. I did a reset and the weird problems returned within a hour of use. Even a reboot doesn't fix the issues all the time. Also, did a restore. Currently, Plex and Netflix are working, but both movies (iTunes) and tv shows (iTunes) are blank. Nothing is loading from Apples servers.

This is a refurbished ATV4, but Apple clearly didn't test it fully before certifying it.

Let us know how the replacement one works.

 

[waw74]

It's connected via ethernet

try connecting it to your wi-fi and see if that clears it up

 

[shpankey]

Sounds like bad hardware. I would replace it. The one thing ATV does well is stability, at least in my experience so far.

 

[Idgit]

An update for anyone interested. After very thorough troubleshooting of the ATV4, I took it into an Apple Store and was given a replacement. Guess what? The problems with Netflix and Plex are happening with the replacement ATV4.

I'm kind of flabbergasted. I've never had so much trouble with an Apple product. The problem is weird in that only certain streaming apps are affected while others continue to work fine. The underlying problem, whatever it is, causes the Netflix app to crash and the Plex app to freeze, while YouTube and Crackle continue to run perfectly.

I'm not sure where to go from here. Maybe there is something specific about my vanilla home network that triggers a tvOS bug. I guess I need to you remove everything (router, VoIP phone, Plex server, Synology, etc.) from my network and have the ATV4 connected directly to the modem. And maybe talking to Netflix support would be a good idea.

Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[Vermifuge]

I guess I need to you remove everything (router, VoIP phone, Plex server, Synology, etc.) from my network and have the ATV4 connected directly to the modem. And maybe talking to Netflix support would be a good idea.

Any suggestions are welcome.

this is the best place to start

 

[Crazy Badger]

Might help to give us some idea of how your network is configured and how the aTV is connecting.

Not that it helps, but I've had a aTV4 since launch and run Plex almost every day and I don't think it's crashed or frozen once. Mine is connected via Ethernet to a switch and through an AE (assigning a static IP) before connecting to the internet via a broadband modem.